When pelvic surgery is performed trans-vaginally or with a laparoscope there is generally no delay in return of normal motility to the intestines. However, when open pelvic surgery is required, intra-operative bowel (e.g. intestine and omentum) irritation can result.
Peristalsis is successive waves of involuntary contractions passing along the walls of the intestine forcing the contents onward. The absence or reduction of peristalsis following surgery is referred to as post-operative ileus. Ileus results in bloating, cramping, nausea and vomiting as a result of the mechanical and functional obstruction of the intestines during post-operative recovery. This usually increases a hospital stay by twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
Additionally, during open pelvic surgery the surgeon must be careful while holding the intestines out of the operative field so as not to constrict, or worse, cut off proper flow of the patient's vena cava and aorta that provide blood to and from the heart.
The use of devices for retaining and resisting movement of the viscera, or organs, adjoining the field of an abdominal surgical procedure is common surgical practice. Such retaining devices include pads, such as towels or large sponges, such as 4 ply-18".times.18" disposable laparotomy sponges supplied by Kendall Healthcare Products Company, the Kendall Company, of Mansfield, Mass. These loose woven cloth sponges are used to pack the omentum and the intestines into the abdominal cavity and are often held in place by a metal retractor blade of sufficient width and depth, such as used with the Weinstein retractor device, the "BOOKWALTER" retractor system, or the O'Sullivan-O'Connor self-retaining abdominal retractor. Both the "BOOKWALTER" and O'Sullivan-O'Connor retractors are distributed by Codman and Shurtleff, Inc. of Randolph, Mass. The O'Sullivan-O'Connor retractor includes two fixed blades, two removable small blades and one large removable blade.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,533,356 and 5,346,484 propose surgical devices for internal use during surgical abdominal operations. However, these two surgical devices, like the pads, are fabricated to absorb blood and/or wound fluid. It is the inventors' present belief that a nonabsorbent, as compared to an absorbent, holding member reduces irritation and the resultant post-operative ileus.
A disposable abdominal retracting pad or retractor known by the trade name DISARP is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,107 to Kaufman. This retractor is proposed to comprise a flexible flat metal rod having no memory enclosed in urethane plastic foam, in turn, wrapped in an absorbent woven nylon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,107 further proposes an abdominal retractor that comprises a barrier member forming a surgical dam for retaining viscera in an abdominal cavity during surgery. The retractor in the '107 Kaufman patent is proposed to be nonabsorbent and bent to a selected configuration. A core member made from a soft, malleable aluminum or, alternatively, a metal capable of returning to a predetermined shape after being heated to a certain temperature ("Nitinol") is enclosed within the barrier member to retain the barrier member in a selected configuration. A flexible material such as a plastic foam or silicone rubber encloses the core member and both are covered by a material impermeable to the passage of blood, such as silicone rubber, polyvinylchloride or latex. The '107 Kaufman patent also proposes an embodiment where the retractor device 36 is provided with a series of spaced slots 52 to provide added flexibility. (See FIG. 5 and col. 4, lines 3-16 of Kaufman). However, FIG. 5 of Kaufman clearly shows that the slots 52 are provided around the periphery of the device 36, as opposed to openings not in communication with the edge of periphery of the holding member or device.
While U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,107 proposes in FIG. 4 that the side walls and end walls of the barrier member are upright when positioned adjacent to a surgical field in an abdominal cavity, there is no teaching of a fixed presized indentation in the barrier member to provide proper flow through the patient's aorta and vena cava to and from the heart. A fixed presized indentation would relieve the surgeon from physically having to bend the member to a proper configuration. Further, an indentation in the barrier member of U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,107 was not discussed, disclosed or deemed necessary since the barrier member was not contemplated to be positioned within the walls of the abdominal cavity but, as shown in FIG. 4, the rectangular-shaped barrier member is only placed adjacent to a surgical field with the top and end walls free.
A monolithic nonabsorbent holding member adapted to be received in the patient's abdominal cavity and a presized or preshaped indentation to allow proper flow of the patient's aorta and vena cava would be desirable. Also, sized elongated openings in the holding member adjacent to, but not in communication with, the holding member edge to define spring segments supported by columns in the holding member to assist in positioning the holding member in the abdominal cavity for providing a desired holding force to maintain the operative field clear during open pelvic surgery while limiting movement of the omentum and intestines through these sized openings in the holding member would be desirable.